Patient Zero
by HipsterMaybe
Summary: A devastating plague threatens the island and Hawaii is on lockdown. The only thing standing in the way of the deaths of millions is Five-0. Can they stop the disease before it overtakes the island, or will they fall victim themselves? Rated T. I don't own anything but the plot I came up with. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**New Story! I know, I need to finish Hana Ma'alea Make Loa, but this idea just kinda hit me. Hope this works since I'm not entirely sure where this is going. Guess we'll find out together.**

The call came in late, or early depending on how you looked at it. Five-0 stumbled tiredly to the scene. As much as they wanted to say 'screw it' and got back to bed, when the governor calls you at two a.m. and says it's urgent, you do as you're told. They were still half asleep when they exited their vehicles at the gas station where the body was found. However, as soon as they saw the huge tent erected around the building and the people id Hazmat suits walking around, they were instantly awake.

"Not again…" Danny said, now alert and a bit afraid. Not for himself, but for Grace. He shared a knowing look with Chin and Kono.

"What do you mean, 'Not again'?" Steve asked.

"That's right, you were off in Japan when this happened last time."

"What happened? Is this connected?" Steve asked.

"I doubt it's connected. Last time, it was a genetically engineered strain of small pox. People were being dosed up through depression meds. We worked with your friends in L.A. to stop this guy, Dracule Comescu, who was going to sell the virus. We got him and put an end to it so I doubt this is related. Oh, and Sam Hanna says he hasn't forgotten about owing you that steak dinner, but you have to go out there to collect." Steve stared at him, stunned.

"What the hell did you all do while I was gone?!"

"Oh, you know…" Chin gave him a dry smile.

"Saved the world from death by smallpox, killed one of interpol's most wanted,took down a notorious serial killer, found out who murdered Max's birth mother…nothin' big." Kono finished with a smile.

"Remind me to never leave again." Steve said, still trying to pick his jaw off the grass.

"You never listen to us anyway, Cowboy." Danny smirked, walking towards Duke. "What've we got?"

"Looks like something nasty. According to the guy at the counter, our dead guy was pretty sick. Clerk said he came stumbling in, rambling on about things that didn't make sense. He said the guy had facial ulcerations and he looked awful. Our vic dropped dead and the clerk was too scared to check for a pulse. Good thing, too. According to CDC, they don't know what this is, but it looks contagious. We've got the clerk quarantined. He was the only one in there besides our dead guy. Max is in there now." Duke finished. Max walked out just as Duke wrapped up. He was helped out of his Hazmat suit and walked over to them. He walked a little stiffly, but Steve was glad to see no cane anymore.

"Hey buddy. You're lookin' good! Just your own two legs now!" Max smiled his quirky smile.

"Thank you, Commander. My wound is healing quite nicely. Now, on to the victim in the gas station. Unfortunately, the body has to be incinerated, per CDC protocol. However, I was able to take samples and photographs. From what I can tell, the victim died of some sort of disease belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family."

"The what?" Danny asked.

"It means the disease is similar to that of _Yersinia Pestis_, or the bacteria that cause the bubonic plague."

"Whoa whoa whoa. Plague? Are you telling me that the friggin' black death is in Hawaii?" Danny asked, stunned.

"Not precisely, no. The ulcerations were covering the victim's entire body, not centralized around the lymph nodes like it would with bubonic plague. Since it is incredibly unlikely that this occurred naturally, I believe this may be an engineered form of the bacteria."

"And it's just been released on the island." Steve said, feeling dread drop onto his stomach. "We have no idea how many people this guy infected before he died."

"So, the entire island could be like him in a matter of days?" Kono asked.

"And it could spread to the mainland." Chin added. "We need to stop all travel on and off the island now."

"I agree. I'm not one for starting panic, but this can't get out. Kono, I need you to coordinate with CDC to see what this is and if there's a cure or a vaccine. Chin, talk to Denning and get all airports closed and all boats docked. Use coast guard if you have to. Danny, you and I will follow up on our vic." Steve lowered his voice. "Do you need to get Rachel and Grace out before the airports close?"

"No, they're in England visiting Rachel's mother." They both breathed a sigh of relief, then set off to their cars, fear gripping their hearts.

**Wow, I really loaded you up with the medical jargon there. I understand this stuff, but I'm not sure if you guys will. Sorry! You can look it up maybe if you need details. I know this was a sort chapter, but the others will be longer. Leave me a review and tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! I know I haven't updated in a few days. Sorry! Classes are about to start and I'm not exactly done with my summer homework…anyway, here's chapter 2!**

"Our vic's name is Ben Okela. Okela's a local boy. He is twenty-three years old and has no criminal record. He helps his friend manage a small grocery store. Okela was reported missing by his friend, Randy Kaliko, along with his wife and son a week ago." Danny read off the screen of his computer. Steve sat on the opposite side of his desk. At the mention of Okela's family, he stiffened.

"So, this guy's family's gone too?" Danny nodded.

"And that's not all. Over the last two weeks, at least ten similar cases have been reported. Same story every time. Local family vanishes without a trace. All unexepactedly. One family even had a pizza still in the oven."

"No way this is a coincidence."

"I agree…you know, the last time this happened, the guy who engineered the virus took a bunch of people to a warehouse he'd turned into testing facility." Danny remarked.

"And our bad guy could be doing the same. Shit…" Steve ran a hand over his unshaven face. Danny nodded in agreement.

"HPD's scrubbed the house for evidence, but there's nothing. Absolutely nothing. No forced locked, broken windows, out of place objects, foreign DNA. Nothing. The Okela's breakfasts were still on the table, half eaten. It's like they just up and disappeared." They shared a worried look. What the hell was this? Kono and Chin walked in, urgency in their steps.

"Airports and water travel have been shut down. Denning put it out that we were under a major terrorist threat. Which could be entirely true…" Steve nodded his thanks to Chin. Kono didn't wait to be asked.

"So, Max was right. The disease was a version of _Yersinia Pestis, _but it's been heavily modified."

"Modified? Into what?" Steve asked, taking in the look of fear on Kono's face.

"This strain is far more aggressive. It's no longer zoonotic, or originating from animals. And while _Yersinia Pestis _kills most infected humans within four days, this new strain, _Periculosis Pestis, _doesn't kill them for an estimated ten days. However, from the description of the infected Okela and lab tests, this new infection causes swelling and chemical shifts in the brain, leaving the victims angry and combative."

"Jesus Christ…" Danny breathed. "How does it spread?"

"They're not entirely sure since they have no living victims to study, but they believe that it passes from body fluids such as blood, sweat, or tears into openings in the body like the eyes, nose, mouth, or open cut. This is bad since, according to Max, Okela was perspiring heavily and trying to attack the gas station attendant. If he had managed to cut him somehow, there's no doubt some of his sweat or blood would have gotten into the other guy and infected him." Their eyes were all wide with shock and fear. Chin turned to his cousin.

"Is there a cure or vaccination?"

"Not yet, but they're working on it. So far, it hasn't responded to any of the known widely used treatments. Before everything closed up, they were able to get in a rushed shipment of a vaccination against _Yersinia Pestis_ that the government had stockpiled in case there was a second outbreak of the plague. They're trying to alter it to fit with _Periculosis Pestis._"

"Where would somebody even get a sample of the original disease in order to modify it? I thought it died out back in the fourteenth century." Steve asked.

"It did for the most part, but it still pops up occasionally. Our bad guy could've gotten ahold of a sample from of the more recently ill. What the scientists are most worried about and still testing is whether or not this strain is pneumonic."

"Pneumonic?" Danny asked.

"It's a type of the disease that causes coughing and as a result is much more infectious and it spreads easier from person to person."

"If it is, then, depending on how many people Okela came in contact with, then half the island could be infected by now." Chin commented.

"Okay…" Steve took a calming breath. He knew that they were all looking to him to come up with some new lead, but he had nothing. It was an awful weight on his shoulders.

"Alright, let's use traffic and security cams to track Okela's movements. We find out where he came from and who he came in contact with, we might catch a break." Danny said, speaking up. Steve was glad that Danny had taken charge like that. Danny was a very smart man, more than anyone gave him credit for and Steve trusted him implicitly. Danny often saw things that Steve did not, like he had just now. It was why Steve had made Danny his partner. With his fresh eyes and sharp skills, he was the perfect man to team up with. Chin and Kono nodded. They were the most tech savvy of the group, so they set to work tracing Okela. Danny sat in his chair once more. Any of the tiredness he'd felt this morning was gone. He was wide awake and scared shitless. He ran a hand through his hair. Steve glanced up and he caught his partner's eye.

"What the hell are we dealing with, Danno?"

"I don't know…it isn't exactly the friggin' zombie apocalypse, but it's pretty damn close. Who do you think's behind it? Terrorists?"

"Maybe. Some religious fanatics have tried something like this before. They release a toxin or disease to kill those who aren't of their faith and believe their god will protect them."

"What I don't understand is how they gain something through that. You have more of a background with terrorists than I do, but even if they manage to kill a significant number of their 'enemies', they also kill themselves in the process. Maybe in their minds, that's still a win. But we also need to look at who has the most to gain."

"What do you mean?" Steve asked.

"Think about it. Yes, the terrorists and religious fanatics might kill a bunch of us and scare us half to death, but it's a small victory because they have to know that we'll contain it quickly. And this is an expensive operation. They have to get ahold of samples of the disease, alter it, produce enough for all of their carriers, which is what I'm assuming all those families are, and find a secure facility in which to all this in. Most terrorist groups are underfunded, right?"

"Right." Steve answered slowly, still not seeing the shape of Danny's point.

"If they have so little money, how can they afford this? I'm not saying this isn't a terrorist thing because it still might be, but who is bankrolling them?" Steve thought for a moment.

"A wealthy religious sympathizer I suppose." Danny shook his head.

"Maybe, but unlikely. Think bigger. If the world fears a breakout of a disease like this that doesn't seem to respond to any known treatments, and suddenly someone comes out with a cure or vaccine, how much will the governments be willing to pay to ensure the safety of their people?" It all fell into place for Steve after Danny said that.

"You're thinking pharmaceutical companies."

"Exactly. This is a lot of money to pour into something. You'd only do that if you knew for certain that it would turn out an immense profit. And maybe this company got help from terrorists. The terrorist will see it as a gain for them because it deals a heavy blow to their enemies and it also causes those countries to divert funding from weapons spending and put it all into preventive medicine, which benefits our mystery company. I'm just guessing here-"

"But it's a damn good guess." Steve finished. "I think you're on the right track. We need to start looking into these companies. It could take a while, though. There are literally hundreds of companies who are financially able to pull this off. We need to get more than Five-0 working on this. We may be the only ones here in Hawaii who can stop this, but we can still get help from people on the mainland. I've got some friends in the DHS who can help us narrow our search down and interpret what we have."

"Good, good. Let's get on that…Kono, what do you got?" Danny asked as soon as she and Chin entered the room.

"We backtracked the footage from at least a hundred different cameras and found Okela stumbling out of some apparently abandoned warehouse. Good news is, it doesn't look like he met anyone until the gas station."

"Ok, where's this warehouse?" Steve asked.

"On Puuhale Road and for an abandoned warehouse, there's a lot of activity."

"Ok, let's hit this place and find out what the hell is going on."

"Ok, I agree that we need to raid it ASAP, but we need to go in smart. We need HPD to set up roadblocks and have containment measures put in place. We will all need some form of protection so we don't get sick ourselves too." Danny said.

"I think I know where we can get those." Steve said with almost a smile. An hour later, they all had lightweight body armor, courtesy of one of Steve's SEAL friends, and full face masks. They stood outside the warehouse and, with one final glance back the relative safety of their cars, they approached the doors.

**How was that? If you hear ideas that sound familiar, I promise it's not plagiarism! I have a friend who absolutely loves this kind of stuff and has told me all he knows on the subject so I'm taking pieces of his three hour monologue on the subject and sticking it in. Oh, and for those of you who may not know, DHS is Department of Homeland Security. I realize that this is kind of an information overload, but it all needed to go in somewhere! Leave me a review and tell me what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry it's been so long! Classes just started and everything is so busy!**

They ran silently to the heavy metal door of the warehouse. Thermal scans had shown no warm bodies near the door, but they weren't taking chances knowing what might be inside. Using a small dental mirror, Steve checked under the door for trip wires. When he was sure there weren't any, he motioned his team forward. They split off into two teams as they had planned and went off down their own hallways. Chin and Kono's team headed toward the east wing and Steve and Danny headed to the west. The inside of the warehouse wasn't the rusty and dilapidated building they were expecting. Not on the inside anyway. There were freshly painted white walls and spotless floors. Without a sound, Steve and Danny crept through the corridor towards the heat signatures they had seen. When they reached a big metal door, Steve repeated the process he had with the first one while Danny covered the hallway behind them with his gun. When the door was deemed safe, they opened the surprisingly unlocked door and it swung open silently on well-oiled hinges. Beyond them was another hallway that led into a long room. The peered around the corner and, whatever they were expecting to see, this wasn't it. The room had at least forty beds lining the wall, each with an obviously infected person on it. Danny recognized many of the faces from the photos of the missing families. He looked at Steve, then assessed the doctors in suits similar to their own that were bent over their "patients". They had agreed to try to take prisoners so they could get some answers, so they aimed only at the non-lethal parts of the doctor's body's and fired their silenced handguns. She doctors went down silently, their gas masks preventing their screams. Steve and Danny's masked were several generations ahead of the doctors, so they could talk as much as they wanted. They bent over the two doctors and quickly bound their hands and feet and emptied their pockets. There were no IDs, but they were confident that the doctors would turn up in some database. While Danny applied pressure bandages to the minor wounds on the doctors, Steve radioed Chin.

"Chin, do you copy?"

"Loud and clear Steve. We've taken down at least ten hostiles. Duke says that according to thermal scans, we got all of them on our end. How did things go with you guys?"

"Danny and I found some weird stuff here. All the people from those missing families are here. They're infected and, most likely part of an experiment. Call in Hazmat and have them prepare to quarantine the place. Danny, what's-" Steve lifted his finger from the talk button on his ear piece. He had heard an almost inhuman growl come from one of the beds. He looked up just in time to see two of infected men who looked like a mechanic and a business man in a suit break out of their restraints with almost superhuman strength and lunge at them. Danny raised his gun, but he was a fraction of a second too slow and the two men tackled him to the ground. The body armor protected him from breaks to the skin, but the impacts of the savage punches the infected men landed still forced the air from his lungs. They were clawing at every part of him trying to find a bit of exposed skin. Steve drew his gun and fired at one of the men. Mechanic didn't so much as flinch. He just looked up with angry eyes and a moment later he was on Steve landing blow after blow. Both Steve and Danny grappled almost uselessly at the impossibly strong men. After about ten minutes, Chin and Kono raced into the room and landed head shots in both Mechanic and The Suit. Steve and Danny lay panting on the ground and Chin and Kono rushed to them.

"You guys okay?" Kono asked.

"Peachy." Danny gasped. He guessed he had at least a few bruised ribs.

"We…we need to get out of here before any of the others do that." Steve said when he found his voice.

Both men were helped up and limped out of the room quickly while Chin and Kono closed the door at the end of the hall. At the cousin's insistence, they got checked out by the medics on scene. They both were told that they had bruised ribs and would be sore for a while which came as no surprise. Chin drove them back to HQ in the Camaro and Kono drove the van back. When they were all seated in Steve's office, they tried to put into words what they had found.

"Forty people." Danny said slowly. "These bastards infected forty people and turned them into homicidal rage monsters. What the hell?"

"I don't get it either. HPD ran all of the people we found there and none of them came up with any terrorist affiliation, but this is very clearly a terrorist plot. Duke and his guys went in after us with Hazmat and they found plans to release infected people all over the island. Are we dealing with a new group or something?" Chin asked.

"I don't know…" Steve said, opening an email from the team processing the warehouse. "Oh my God…" he breathed.

"What?" Kono asked, noting Steve's fearful tone.

"The techs at the warehouse emailed me the research those doctors did on those people. It's awful. They don't become enraged and combative until about ten days after they were infected. Before that, they just get sicker and sicker. Look at his stuff." He said, turning the screen so they could all see the grotesque pictures of the ill families.

"Who the hell are these people?" Danny asked. Kono's phone beeped.

"I believe I can answer that." She said. "DNA results came back on the doctors. Alice Harmening and Silas Marchbanks. They work for a company called GenTech. They're Biomedical researchers."

"That certainly gives them the resources to do this." Chin remarked. Steve nodded.

"This definitely makes you theory look better Danny. We need to look into GenTech and see if anything weird is going on there." Chin and Kono exchanged a look, then looked at their team mates.

"Chin and I will take care of that. No offense guys, but you got your asses kicked today and you're barely awake. You're no good to us if you're passing out from exhaustion. Go home and get a few hours of sleep. And before you argue, this step is only research, which is what Chin and I do best. We'll call you if we get anything, but in the meantime, go home and sleep." Kono ordered forcefully. They had no choice but to comply. As they sank into their beds in their own homes, each man could not help but notice how awful they felt. Their heads pounded, muscles ached, and they could barely breathe. They chalked it up to the fight earlier, never noticing the minute scratches on their necks right where there was a gap in the body armor.

**Dun Dun Duuuhhhhh! Tell me what you think! I love to hear your thoughts.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! Just a heads up, I don't know if I'll be able to finish this story as fast as ya'll would like. I busted up my wrist pretty bad and I have surgery next week, so it may be a while! Very sorry! Oh, and by the way, for those of you not familiar with the pronunciation of Swedish names, Elin in pronounced ee-lin.**

When Steve dragged himself out of bed, he was surprised to see that he had slept for twelve hours. He still felt exhausted. His phone started ringing shrilly.

"M'garrett." He answered tiredly.

"Steve! I've been calling you and Danny all morning! Where the hell are you guys?" Chin's half angry, half concerned voice yelled through his phone.

"Sorry man. I guess I was more tired than I knew…wait. You said Danny isn't answering either?"

"Yeah. I was just about to go to your guys' places." Steve felt his heart contract. Danny had taken more and worse blows in yesterday's fight and if he himself felt this awful…what about Danny? He remembered all of the impossibly hard punches that had struck Danny in the head, chest, and abdomen. What if he was laying in his apartment right now, slowly bleeding out internally? He got up and, as quickly as his achy body would allow, got dressed and ran to his car.

"Ok, we'll be in soon. I'm gonna stop by Danny's and see how he's doing."

"Yeah, he looked pretty bad yesterday. Call me if you need to take him to get looked at, ok? And don't ignore your own health. I swear you two are the worst. Always so concerned with everyone else's safety, but neglecting your own." Chin hung up and Steve raced towards Danny's apartment. Seeing that the Camaro was still there, he banged loudly on the door.

"Danny? You awake man?" Nothing. He tried again. "Danno! Can you hear me? If this door isn't open in thirty seconds I'm coming in!" He heard shuffling inside, then the lock turned and the door swung open. Danny stood before him, looking worse than he had last night. He was pale and a bit unsteady, with circles under his eyes as dark as the livid bruises that covered his body. He looked up with hazy eyes. Steve could see that he was about halfway through getting dressed. He had his shirt on, with his tie half finished, but he still wore only boxers on bottom.

"Jesus, Danny. You look like shit." He said as he walked inside.

"Feel like it too. Those suckers could really land those punches. And I wouldn't talk just yet babe. You seen yourself this morning?" Danny said hoarsely, motioning Steve towards the mirror. Steve studied his appearance. Damn if he didn't look almost as bad as Danny.

"Well, we won't win any pageants."

"Guess not. Uggg…sorry. I didn't mean to sleep in. I really should have been in earlier with a case like this."

"I literally woke up ten minutes ago so don't feel too bad."

"Lemme put some pants on then we should get going." Fifteen minutes later, both men were walking into HQ, each slumping with fatigue. Kono raised an eyebrow when they entered.

"Damn…you guys sure you shouldn't have stayed home today? You look awful."

"We'll be okay. Besides, case like this is all hands on deck." She shrugged in agreement and they continued over to the Smart Table to join Chin.

"Hey guys. I've been looking into GenTech. I called Catherine and she was able to get me some back door access to the company's servers. At first glance, totally legit. However, the company's CEO, Thomas Briarley, has made several trips to Hawaii in the past month or so. He left the island just before Okela escaped. I also looked into company gossip. Word is that Briarley and his top scientist, Elin Valburg, have been working together closely on some secret project that is supposed to change the world, and maybe save it."

"Save it? From what?" Danny asked.

"I don't know. That's apparently what Briarley and Valburg have put out there." Chin responded.

"Ok, so what do we know about this Elin Valburg?" With a deft flick of his hand, Chin pulled up a photo of a stunning woman around thirty years of age. She was tall and slender, with long, silvery hair that fell in cascading waves to her ribs. She had perfect pale skin, high cheekbones, and piercing silvery blue eyes.

"Dr. Elin Valburg, age thirty two, is a Swedish biomedical researcher. Her area of study is, get this, infectious diseases. She joined GenTech a year ago and immediately started working closely with not only Briarley, who people suspect she has a relationship with, but also doctors Alice Harmening and Silas Marchbanks. The two doctors from the warehouse."

"This can't be a coincidence. Do we know where Elin is?" Kono asked.

"TSA reported her coming into Hawaii two months ago, but never leaving. She may still be on the island." Chin paused a moment. "Steve…Danny? You guys with us?" he asked, noticing how the normally actively participating men were staring off into space.

"Wha- yeah, yeah. Elin's still on the island." Steve said, as they both snapped out of their stupor a bit. The cousins gave them a concerned look, then Kono began running Elin's face through facial recognition.

"This could take a while." She said. "Why don't you guys go home until I get a hit. We have no other leads I promise we'll call as soon as we know something. Until then, you two really look like you're in desperate need of some sleep." Chin nodded in agreement.

"She's right. You two are barely on your feet as is. I'll drive you home. How's that sound?" he asked. Too tired to argue, they agreed and silently walked out of the office, trying to keep their much too heavy heads up just a little longer. Before they left, Chin and Kono shared a look. While they had wanted Danny and Steve to agree to go home, it worried them that they hadn't put up the slightest bit of a fight.

After Chin dropped them off, they each fell into bed, still in their clothes, and were asleep instantly. When they woke up, it took them a moment to notice that they weren't in their beds anymore. They were tied to hard metal chairs in a cold cement room. Steve was the first to regain consciousness. Looking around to quickly take in his situation, he saw Danny slumped over in his identical chair. He looked terrible. He shivered, despite the fact that he was sweating heavily. His skin was devoid of color and his breathing looked shallow and sounded wheezy. Steve realized that he himself felt awful.

"Danny?" he called out in a hoarse voice. He tried again when he received no response. "Danny? C'mon man, open your eyes." A moment later, his partner's dull eyes flickered open and came to rest on Steve. "You with me Danno?" Steve asked. Although he felt like shit, he could tell Danny felt ten times worse. He was starting to suspect that maybe this was more than the after effects of yesterday's fight.

"Y-yeah." He said weakly. Steve was scared by how little strength he seemed to possess.

"You okay?" Steve asked.

"Where are we?" Danny responded, avoiding Steve's question. Truth was, he felt more than awful.

"I don't know. I just woke up." Danny tried to reply to him, but instead, he broke off into a painful coughing fit that shook his whole body. When the coughing stopped, he was left gasping for each ragged and shallow breath. Steve could only watch as his friend struggled to breathe. Then, the big metal door at the end of the room opened, and a woman entered. She was beautiful, with silvery hair that matched her silvery eyes. Her face was serene, almost dreamlike.

"Welcome, gentlemen, to the re-birth of the world." She said, with the same peaceful voice. Her calm words sent shivers through their spines.

**Good? Bad? Review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm trying to get as many chapters in as possible before my surgery! Thank you so much for all of you wishing me well. It warms my heart! Sorry if there are any grammar mistakes, spelling mistakes, or the chapters are shorter. I have to chicken peck with one hand. Which kinda sucks because I'm usually such a fast typer! Anyway…where was I? Ahhh, yes. What will I do to our boys now? Read and find out.**

The room was silent after Elin had spoken, save for the whistling sound of Danny's breathing.

"Thomas only saw you two as a problem. But see, you are the solution." She said mysteriously. Steve glanced at Danny, who looked even worse than before, then turned his harsh gaze towards Elin.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked in as low and deadly of a voice as he could muster. Her dreamy smile never faltered.

"You haven't figured it out yet? Hmmm…I'm disappointed in you Commander. I thought you were a broader minded man. You two will help me spread God's will across Hawaii. Think of the island as a beta test. If all goes to plan here, we take this to the rest of the world and watch as it is reborn."

"G-god's w-will? You're killing people! H-how is that God's will?" Danny managed to gasp out between coughs and shivers.

"Killing? No. We are releasing them. They are now soldier's in the Lord's army, and soon, they will march across the Earth, liberating others. When this is all over, our world will no longer be the over populated and dying mess it is now. It will thrive in the hands of the few that survived and they will help Earth start anew. Don't you feel it? Don't you feel the Lord working through you? I was so surprised to find out that you had been infected, but then I saw that this would work better than I'd hoped! You see, all of Hawaii trusts you. So even if you are half mad with fever, people will not run. They will try to help. And the two of you will spread the pathogen so effectively!" She said with a triumphant smile. Steve was taken aback for a moment. They were infected? He glanced over at Danny, but he looked as if he already knew. Maybe he had.

"You really th-think that we'd go along with this?" Danny said, sounding strong willed even if his voice was so weak.

"My dear Dectective, you won't exactly be _you_. You've seen the reports. You won't be able to control yourself." Danny glared at her through hazy eyes. Steve turned his own dull, yet still fierce stare to Elin.

"How did you get Briarley to go along with this? Is he just as much of a wackjob as you, or does he still think it's about the money?" She gave a small snort of laughter.

"Ohhh Thomas. Such a naïve man. He couldn't see the big picture either. All I had to do was give him a smile and flash some skin and I had all I needed. Thomas believes that we will sell the cure when this thing goes worldwide, but I have my own agenda. Some people will receive the cure. They will form the basis of the new world. For your service, your families will be among those who survive. As for about six billion other people…well, they will join Heaven's Army." She gave them another serene smile, then turned away towards the door, talking as she left.

"I really must be going now. I have a lunch date. I just wanted to see how the disease was progressing. Sleep tight, gentlemen. I will see you tomorrow." The door slammed shut. Steve was still trying to process Elin's inconceivable confession. If the research from the warehouse was right, they only had about eight days before they became monsters. Even before that, they were still dangerous and combative, but less so than the ones they had fought yesterday. His thoughts were interrupted by Danny's harsh coughing.

"Just breathe, Danno." Steve said, trying to soothe his partner in any way he could. "In and out. In and out. Take it easy." When the coughing subsided, Danny grew weaker still. He saw that Danny had several angry red scratches on his neck. If his memory was correct, Steve only had one. Danny must have gotten more of the infection than him.

"Just rest Danny. I'm going to get us out of this. You just hold on." Steve began to panic. Placing a lid on his growing fear, he checked the room for security cameras. Finding none, he pulled a small pin from beneath his watch. He had started carrying it around ever since Jenna had had slid it to him moments before her death in North Korea. He deftly picked the lock on his handcuffs, then rose shakily and undid Danny's cuffs as well. Danny didn't stir.

"Come on man. I need you to wake up Danny." He said, gently tapping Danny's pale cheeks. He moaned softly, then flicked his eyes open. "Okay Danno. I doubt Elin locked us in here and I doubt there's guards. We're going to get of here and find a cure. Can you walk?"

"N-no." Danny answered truthfully. "Steve, you gotta go…without me. Better that way. Slow you down. M-might hurt you…" he trailed off, eyes closing again. Steve worried about the way he could only say a few words at a time.

"No no no. You stay with me Danny. No sleeping, alright? I'm not leaving you. I'll get you out of here if I have to carry you, we clear?" Danny gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. Steve took his friend's arm and hooked it around his waist. Then he took his arm and used it to pull Danny to his feet. They made their way laboriously to the door, Steve taking most of Danny's weight. They crept out into the hall. Wherever they were, it was old. It looked like some Cold War era bunker. The good news was, there were no guards and there was an ancient and disused looking phone on the wall. Praying it still worked, Steve set Danny down gently against the wall and tried it. It worked. He quickly dialed Chin's number. It took a while, but eventually Chin's worried voice answered.

"Kelly." He said tersely.

"Chin! Thank God." Steve said, his shoulders sagging with relief.

"Steve?! Where the hell are you guys? We've been tearing up the entire island looking for you!"

"Chin, I need you to listen to me very carefully. Elin Valburg took us somewhere. I don't know where we are, so have Kono trace the call. It looks like an old Cold War bunker." He paused a moment and took a breath, then stole a glance at Danny. He was soaked with sweat, yet his whole body convulsed as he shivered. His eyes were closed and he could barely breathe.

"Chin…we're both infected. It happened some time during the fight at the warehouse. I'll be okay for a while, but Danny got more of it into him. He's not doing good." He heard Chin's sharp intake of breath.

"Ok, just hang on. We've gotten the signal narrowed down to somewhere in the jungle near Kahuku. We're asking Catherine right now if she can look for any bunkers in that area."

"Thanks brother. We're going to try to find the cure. Listen, Elin is tricking Briarley. He still thinks it's about the money, but she wants to wipe out about six billion people with this thing. She says it's 'God's will'. Chin…she planned to use us to infect the island. If you find us and we're not…us, you can't hesitate. I've read the research from the warehouse. Once the ten days are up and we're fully gone, the cure won't help us."

"Steve, what you're asking me to do-" Steve cut him off.

"I know. And I'm sorry. We're going to try, but if it comes down to it, I need to know you'll do what's right. We won't be us if that happens. You guys need to take us down. I need you to promise me that, Chin. If this gets out, everyone dies."

"I will. But it won't come to that Steve. We'll get you guys the cure and we'll stop this thing."

"Thank you. I mean it. I gotta go now. We need to see if we can find the cure. I think Elin left the bunker. She said she had a lunch date, so check facial recognition again. And please send someone to go pick up Briarley." Chin gave Steve his word to do all that he had asked and they hung up. Steve gathered up his remaining strength and hefted a much too limp and barely conscious Danny to his feet.

"Come on, Danno. Let's got find that cure."

**Hmmmmmm…what will Chin do? Will it even come to that? Will they both make it out alive? Will anyone make it out alive? I'd love to hear your thoughts!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I'll be updating as much as I can before I have to stop, so expect them soon for now! And for all of you who have wished me well in my upcoming surgery, thank you! It really means a lot!**

They made their way slowly through the dimly lit hall. Each room they passed held nothing more than their room. Two chairs with handcuffs dangling from them. Steve's stomach lurched at the thought of what might have been done here. He felt beyond tired, but he knew he could keep going. Danny on the other hand, well, he didn't know how his partner was even still conscious and putting one foot in front of the other. He stumbled frequently and his breathing was so harsh and ragged that Steve winced every time Danny drew in a shuddering breath. He could feel Danny's much too fast and weak heartbeat and it did little to reassure him. When they finally came to an old elevator at the end of the hallway, Steve looked it over doubtfully. It was the only way out of this hall, which seemed to be the lowest floor of the bunker, but it looked so old he would have doubted it even worked if Elin had not just used it. He pressed the button and after a few clangs and grinds, the doors parted enough for them to enter. Once inside, he saw that there were only two more floors of the bunker. Weighing his options, he decided to take them up only one floor. Danny needed that cure now and he would soon too. He wouldn't risk leaving without it. He only hoped Danny was up for it. He looked down at the man. Danny was paler if that was even possible, and Steve could see the small ulcerations starting to form on Danny's arms. The disease was progressing faster with Danny than with him. Steve knew if they didn't find that cure soon…well, he didn't want to think about that.

"Danno?" he asked quietly, giving him a small shake to rouse him. Danny was conscious, but he wasn't all there. "You with me partner?"

"Mmmmhhhmmm…" was all Danny seemed to be able to manage.

"Chin and Kono are close to finding us. I was able to get a call in to them. We've got two more floors to check for the cure, ok? According to the map on the wall here, the floors look pretty small. Do you think you can manage that?" Steve asked.

"Yeah…try." Came Danny's almost inaudible reply. Steve held his friend tighter. He couldn't lose him. Especially not like this.

"You're doing great Danno. We're gonna get that cure and we'll be okay." Steve said, almost more to reassure himself than Danny. The elevator opened and they stepped out into the next hall length floor. Steve's hopes rose a little when he saw labs and testing equipment. The whole building seemed recently deserted. Maybe Elin had ordered the scientists all away…or killed. Systematically, he checked every room. He paused before the very last one, then pushed the door open. He was immediately blasted with frigid air. It took a moment for his fuzzy mind to realize that he had stepped into an industrial walk-in fridge. The room was full of shelves, each one held at least a hundred small vials all the same. They made their way into the room and Steve picked up one of the small bottles and read the label. He felt his heart rise in relief when he read the label: _Periculosis Pestis _Antibiotic.

"We got it Danny. We got the cure." Danny didn't respond. A moment later, Danny went completely boneless in his arms. "Nonononono…not now. Come on, we're so close! Stay with me Danny!" Despite his best attempts to rouse him, Danny did not stir. He looked around desperately for a syringe so he could give Danny the life-saving contents of the vial, but there weren't any in sight. Gathering all of his waning strength, Steve hoisted Danny up and carried him into the hallway and set him gently against a wall. He ran through all of the labs and did not find a single syringe. _What the hell kind of lab doesn't have a syringe? _He thought. Spotting another ancient phone and praying to God it still worked, Steve tried to call Chin. The moment he heard the click indicating the call had been answered, he spoke into it.

"Chin! You there?"

"Steve! We got your location and we're en-route. You guys ok?"

"I'll be okay, but you guys gotta hurry. Danny's worse. He's not going crazy yet, but he's bad off. I've got a couple vials of the cure. There's a whole fridge of them here. I don't have a syringe and there aren't any here either, so I can't give it to him."

"Copy that, EMS will be coming in with their own containment unit to make sure this doesn't spread."

"Tell them to hurry. At the rate the disease is progressing in Danny, I don't even know if he'll last long enough to make it to that final stage."

"We'll be there soon. Half hour tops. Just hang in there."

"Ok. I'm going to try to get Danny upstairs." They hung up and Steve bent over his partner. Danny's skin was burning hot, yet his fingers were ice cold. Painful looking bumps covered his arms. Despite his raging fever, he shivered as violently. And then there was his breathing. Quick, shallow breaths that wheezed through his lungs. His pulse was weak and erratic, barely beating. He tried once again to wake Danny, but his friend remained dead to the world. It was a struggle, but Steve managed to get them both into the elevator. He was starting to feel the fatigue even more as the sickness in his own body took hold. He sank to the floor next to Danny and closed his eyes as they ascended. He opened them almost immediately as Danny began to stir. After a moment, he spoke.

"Steve?" he said in a whisper, barely recognizable as the voice of the loud and strong detective.

"Right here buddy. We got the cure. Chin's coming with some doctors and we'll get fixed up. They'll be here in about thirty minutes, ok? Just hang on another thirty minutes." Danny's eyes closed again.

"I don't think I can. Steve, we've both seen the research. Either I'm going to die, or I'll turn into one of things. You have to leave me here. There's still one more floor. I know you're strong, but you're sick too. You can't carry me out and I don't want to hurt you if I…change."

"Shut up Danny." Steve said, his voice breaking. "You're going to be fine. All we need is a syringe and you'll be okay just hang on. Please-" Danny stopped him.

"Just…just take care of Gracie, will ya? Tell her Danno loves her…" Danny's body went limp just as the elevator doors opened. He pulled Danny out, then snagged a swivel chair from one of the many deserted offices on this floor. Slowly, he managed to get Danny into the chair and he pushed it toward the exit like a makeshift wheelchair. Steve didn't give a damn about what Danny could become. He was his partner, damn it. If the roles were reversed, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Danny would go through hell for him. Steve was going to get Danny out and Danny was going to live.

They made it to the door and pushed out of the bunker. It was in the middle of the jungle. No wonder it took so long to find them. Steve waited for the longest twenty-six minutes of his life for help to arrive. He had pulled Danny from the chair and had pulled Danny close to him, trying to still the violent shivers wracking his friend's body. He could feel Danny's heartbeat falter every so often and his breathing would hitch. Just as he heard the hum of the helicopter's rotors, he felt Danny's heart stop.

"Danny?" he gave him a shake. Realizing that he was the only one who could do CPR on his partner, Steve bent over and forced air into Danny's lungs, then started compressions. They were weaker than they should have been, but they were enough. At the same as the helicopter landed, Danny drew in a shuddering breath and his heart resumed beating, even if it was weak and fluttery. Chin, Kono, and two medics in full body protective suits swarmed them. Feeling the relief that help had come, Steve allowed the darkness at the edge of his vision take over.

**Thank you for all the reviews! You guys truly are the best.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm sorry I haven't updated in like forever! My World History class is insane! But, I am determined to finish this before by surgery so without further ado…**

Consciousness teased at him for several hours before he could muster the strength to fully awaken. It lingered just beyond the darkness, tantalizing. When he finally opened his eyes, he became aware of several things. First, he was tired. Exhausted, really. He also realized that he had something beneath his nose. His fuzzy mind didn't register the voices until he tried to push away the bothersome object.

"Leave it alone, Steve. You need that oxygen." Chin's calm voice said. Smaller hands, probably Kono's, held his hand to prevent him from knocking the cannula loose. He blinked rapidly. Then his eyes widened as he remembered the events that had landed them here. Chin was quick to notice the change.

"It's alright. We got to you and Danny in time."

"How is he? Is he okay?" Steve asked. The only image his mind would conjure of his partner was the one where he lay in front of Steve outside the bunker, his heart still in his chest.

"He's…" Chin paused as a look passed between him and Kono.

"What's wrong? Chin?!" Steve was frantic with worry now.

"Danny's alive, but he's not doing well. You both received the cure, but Danny's infection was far more serious than yours. While the cure is helping to fight of the disease, it was meant more as a vaccine. It's most effective when used before exposure." Steve released the breath he had been holding.

"How bad?" he asked, almost fearing the answer.

"He's in the ICU. His temp is at a dangerous level. The doctors said that anything above 105.5 degrees could cause permanent damage if he didn't cool down fast. When we got to the hospital, he was at 106.2. They had to put him in a bath basin full of ice and even then, he's still at 105. Doctors say they don't know if it's too late." Steve shook his head.

"No. It's not too late." He said as he began untangling himself from the bed sheets and disconnecting the IVs in his arm.

"What are you doing?" Chin asked as he tried to push Steve back into bed while the man determinedly climbed unsteadily to his feet. Alarms were whining now.

"Going to see Danny. Chin, he was giving up on me back there. If I'm not there to kick his ass into gear, he won't fight." Both Chin and Kono saw the deep sadness in Steve's eyes. Just then, Steve's doctor burst in to the room.

"What in God's name are you doing Mr. McGarrett?" Said the fussy little in a nasal voice.

"First, it's _Commander_ McGarrett" Steve said, holding up a finger as he did so. Even in his weakened state with his ass showing out of the back of his hospital gown, he was intimidating. "And second, I am going down to see my partner. Say what you want, but just know that I won't listen. If you don't believe me, ask them." He said, gesturing to Chin and Kono. "Or if you'd like the word of your colleagues, Doctors Holbrook, Hauser, Markam, Ling, and Child." Steve said, listing the names of the doctors whom he had argued with, and won, the argument to go see a member of his team when both of them happened to be injured. None of the doctors really liked it, but most of the staff there had come to accept that Five-0 was different. Their bonds ran deeper than some families and there was no way in hell that anyone but Detective Williams ever won an argument with the former Navy SEAL. Steve's current doctor, Dr. Whitney, sniffed indignantly and was about to argue when one of Steve's former doctors, Ling, lightly tapped Whitney on the shoulder.

"Henry, there are just some battles you can't win. Let this one be. If he still needs medication, grab a portable IV pole. As for resting, have a nurse bring him in a recliner. Five-0 operates differently. I figure it's a small price to pay when they do so much to protect us all, don't you agree?" Ling said in a soft, lilting voice that oozed experience. Whitney sputtered for a moment, then nodded in defeat.

"I suppose arrangements can be made. Will you two wheel him down to Detective William's room?" he asked Chin and Kono. Steve was about to argue that he could walk fine, but Kono cut him off.

"Boss, choose your battles. Besides, you're barely on two feet as it is." Steve nodded curtly, then allowed himself to be helped into a wheelchair and taken to Danny's room. When he entered, all the air rushed from his lungs as if he had been punched in the gut. The man in the bed could not be the healthy and vibrant man he knew as his partner. This man was small. Danny may have been short, but he was never small. Danny was pale almost beyond belief. His once bright and piercing eyes were closed and sunken into his head. If Steve didn't know better, he'd think his friend was a corpse. The oxygen mask covering his face barely clouded with each breath. He heard Chin say something about how they hadn't put him on a ventilator for fear of pneumonia. He also heard Kono's remark about being glad that the CDC was gone. Apparently both he and Danny had been subjected to a battery of tests before they were deemed safe. What struck Steve most about the small, frail man on the bed were his hands. Danny's hands were always in motion, like a director of a symphony. He talked with them and they were just as expressive as his face or his voice. Now they were still. He reached out and took Danny's hand in his own. It was hot to the touch, yet worryingly dry. Shouldn't someone with a fever this high be sweating? Steve realized that Danny must be dehydrated. When it became clear that Steve was fully focused on his partner, Chin and Kono left the room. As much as they wanted to be with the rest of their team, Elin Valburg was still out there somewhere, planning to wipe out billions of people.

When the others had left, Steve spoke to Danny quietly.

"Rachel called me, you know. She saw what was happening on the news. I had to tell her. She wanted so desperately to be here with you, to let Grace work her magic, but she can't. I could tell it hurt her." Steve knew that Rachel had gone to England with Grace to evaluate her life. She and Stan were now divorcing, and she needed time to think. Steve also knew that, while she'd never admit it, she still loved Danny.

"I spoke to Gracie too. She misses her Danno. Rachel bought her a little notebook and she's writing down all the stories she wants to tell you." Steve fought to keep his emotions in check. Damn did Danny's little girl get to him with her kindness and innocence.

"You gotta fight man. I won't accept you quitting on me, not for a second. You can't just roll over and die. Elin hasn't won. Not by a longshot. You have to keep going. Do it for Grace, Rachel, the team…me. You know you're the only one I've ever told everything to. I can't lose you man. I can't lose my brother."

**The end! … of chapter of 7. Sorry it was kinda short, my wrist hurts. Really hate this. Anyway…tell me what ya think!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi! So, my surgery got postponed to October 2****nd****. Bad for me, but it does mean I can probably finish this before then! Not so sure about the other story I'm working on though…Not sure what I'll call it yet, but I might post the first chapter tonight so keep a look out!**

Steve was tired. Chin and Kono frequently found him out cold in the recliner, his hand on top of Danny's so he would know if his partner stirred. He was recovering, but it was slow going. Doctors came in every hour to draw blood and administer more of the antibiotic. They did the same for the man in the bed next to him, but Danny was not improving. When Steve was awake, he did everything he could to keep Danny fighting. He would bathe Danny's burning skin with a cool cloth. He would also talk to him. Usually Danny was the talker, but now Steve was getting the last word and he didn't like it one bit. He would sometimes tell Danny to fight, sometimes tell him what was going on, or sometimes he would just tell him every old story he remembered. Despite Whitney's pleas for him lie down in an actual bed, Steve refused to leave his partner. He felt that the moment he let would be the moment he lost Danny forever. Rachel and Grace called daily, but stayed in England at Steve's request. Hawaii was still on lockdown, but Steve knew that Danny would want his family safe so he had them stay as far away as possible. Chin and Kono were rarely there, working tirelessly with HPD to find Elin and keep the island from total panic. Gas was being rationed and food was being dropped from planes, bet they knew the island couldn't sustain itself for long. They had checked everywhere, but she had completely gone off the radar. After five days, they still had nothing. At the end of the day, they made their usual visit to the hospital. As usual, Steve was dead to the world, his neck at a funny angle, hand draped limply over Danny's. They sat in the chairs on the other side of Danny's bed and Kono took up the washcloth. After about twenty minutes, Danny began to mumble something.

"Grace…" it was a weak and breathy whisper, but it in the quiet room, it was as loud as a gunshot. Steve snapped awake instantly and placed a hand on his partner's shoulder.

"Danny? You with me?" Steve asked gently. Danny's eyes were closed, but Steve could still read the terrified expression.

"Grace…no…not safe! Gonna get sick!" Danny whispered, weakly struggling against the blankets. Steve frowned. Danny was definitely not with them.

"Danno," Steve said, hoping the use of his daughter's nickname for him would get the sick man's attention. "Grace isn't here. She's in England with Rachel, remember?"

"'teve? No…sick. My fault?"

"No…not your fault. I'm gonna be okay. I'm getting better. You're the one who's sick, Danno."

"Steve…leave me…gonna get worse…hurt you…she's gonna come back…go while you…can." Danny went still after the last word, completely spent. Steve put his head down for a moment as if in prayer, then turned to the fearful faces of Chin and Kono.

"Please tell me we're closer to finding this bitch." Chin shook his head sadly.

"No…she's disappeared. I called Interpol and had them try to pick up Briarley, but his place is now being quarantined. They found him dead, same thing you guys had, but a more aggressive strain, if that's even possible."

"You need to rest, boss. We'll stay here tonight to watch over Danny, okay brah?" Steve nodded, then went to sleep in the same position as before.

H

5

0

In the morning, he woke up to the sound of a nurse bustling about checking Danny over. As he did every morning, he asked how his partner was.

"He's holding his own, but I'm afraid he's no better than yesterday. I'm sorry Steve." She turned to go, but then stopped and faced him again. "Oh, and Dr. Whitney asked me to tell you that you had been assigned a new doctor. She'll be in later." The nurse smiled and left. As Steve waited for the doctor, he decided to tell Danny the story of when he was seventeen years old and he broke Chin's old records at Kukiu High School. He knew Danny loved football. So absorbed was he in his story that he didn't even notice the doctor come in. It was only when he saw a flash of the familiar silver hair that it registered in his mind who his new _doctor_ was.

"It's good to see you, Steven." She smiled warmly. Her voice was still dreamy and her eyes still crazed.

"Elin Valburg." Steve said icily.

"Oh good! This avoids all those awkward 'who are you' questions!" she clapped her hands like a school girl and while she was distracted, Steve slipped his phone under the blanket that covered his lap. There was a small app Charlie had installed for them. All they need do if they were in trouble was press the button and immediately the rest of Five-0 and HPD would be alerted. He pressed what he hoped was the right app and prayed help was on its away. Steve didn't know if he could fight in his weakened state.

"What do you want Elin? Revenge?" She laughed.

"No no sweet boy! I'm not mad! In fact, this is a most interesting experiment! However, I have so much to do and so little time, so unfortunately, you two have to go. But it has been fun!" She said, Swedish accent thick in her excitement. She removed a small syringe from the pocket and filled it with a dark, evil looking liquid. Hoping to stay he hand a little longer, Steve spoke.

"What I don't understand is why you killed Briarley."

"Thomas? Oh he was just a loose end much like you." Although he already knew the answer, Steve asked, "Didn't you love him?" she let out a tinkling laugh.

"Love? Oh goodness no! I am not that stupid. Thomas was very useful, and if properly…motivated, highly influential. He was the one who really helped me start this thing!" Steve felt the short vibration in his hand, a signal that Chin used to tell him he had received the alert and would be there in five minutes. They didn't have five minutes. Just as Elin jabbed the needle into Danny's IV line, the sick man awoke with a start.

**Wow, I'm writing shorter and shorter chapters. I'm sorry!**


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm back! I got a new brace for my wrist to last me the next two weeks and it is sooo much better than my old one! Hope you like this chapter! I gotta a lot of surprises headed your way ;)**

Steve didn't have time to think, only to act. The warrior within pushed aside the reasonable man that usually took the driver's seat and he lunged at Elin, ripping out the IVs as he did so. Just as her thumb started to depress the contents into Danny's IV line, the man in the bed summoned all of his remaining strength and pushed her hand a way. She struggled playfully for a moment, giving Steve the time he needed to tackle her to the ground. They tumbled to the floor together, the syringe coming along in her hand. They rolled over each other for a few seconds, then Steve was finally able to restrain her hand. He held it off to the side, planning to knock the needle from her hand, but Elin saw this. She quickly moved her body beneath the syringe, just as Steve knocked it downwards. When he looked down, the syringe was empty and the needle protruded from Elin's thigh. Instead of the horrified expression he expected, he saw her smile.

"I guess I too have become the sword of God…" her voice was weak and her whole body shook. She closed her eyes, then stilled. Steve leapt off her and ran to Danny, who was several shades paler and breathing heavily. He did not have time to check his friend over, however. The change was almost immediate. Her whole body convulsed for half a minute then her eyes sprang open, red and feral. She gave them a wicked grin filled with blood stained teeth and, with an inhuman roar of pure animal rage, she charged at them and knocked Steve to the floor, his head cracking against the tile and knocking him out cold. Just as she bent down to sink her teeth into his throat, her head snapped forward and there was a loud crack of a spine snapping. She immediately went boneless. Behind her stood a weak, shaking, and panting Danny holding an IV pole in his hand. This is what Chin and Kono saw when they burst into the room, just as Steve was coming too. Kono ran to Steve while Chin went to Danny.

"You okay boss?" Kono asked, helping Steve into a sitting position.

"I'm good." He said, climbing unsteadily to his feet. "We need to help Danny." They joined Chin around the trembling and feverish detective.

"Danny? You with me man?" Chin asked, taking his friend's arm. Danny had yet to acknowledge them and was still staring down at Elin's body. Gently, Steve took the pole from Danny's unresisting fingers.

"Come on Danno. Let's get you laying down, okay?" he said, taking Danny under the armpits. With Chin and Kono's help, they maneuvered him into the bed. He was shaking from exhaustion, fever, and waning adrenaline. Kono called for a doctor while Chin helped Steve into the recliner. When Dr. Ling, who had been closest, entered, he immediately set to work. I half an hour, Steve had been cleared with nothing more than a bump on his head and a low grade fever. Danny was unharmed, but he had exerted the last of his remaining strength and had passed out as soon as he had been laid down. Ling said his fever was still at 103.5, but that was definitely an improvement. A bed was brought in for Steve to sleep on. Ling hoped this would solve the issue of needing to sleep but not wanting to leave his partner. It did. They slept. For four days straight. Chin and Kono were starting to worry, but they were assured it was completely normal. On the fifth day, Steve blinked his bleary eyes open and was greeted with the smiling faces of the cousins.

"Morning boss. How was your beauty sleep?" Kono asked pleasantly.

"Mmmmm…how long've I been out?"

"Four days. You do remember what happened…?" Chin asked.

"If you're wondering whether or not I remember that psycho bitch going full zombie on us, then yes Chin, I do remember. How in the world did it turn her so fast?"

"It was another new strain. This one acted within a matter of a minute or less. We found her car out in the lot and traced it back to her house. This was the strain she had planned to release to the world. We've followed every lead and made a few more arrests, but it's over now. This whole 'Sword of God' thing has been stopped. Island's been cleared by CDC and it's out of lockdown." Chin answered.

"I called Rachel and Grace and they're on their way." Kono added. Steve glanced at Danny in the bed next to his. He was still sleeping, but he looked better than he had in days.

"How is he?" Steve asked.

"Better. Doctor were able to modify the virus and make a more effective antibiotic which they gave both of you. His temp is way down and he should be waking up soon." As if to prove her point, Danny stirred and began to regain consciousness. Steve was out of bed and at his side in an instant.

"Danno? You with me pal?"

"Don' call me Danno." They all smiled.

"What would you prefer I call you, _Danno._" Steve replied, purposely trying to provoke a rant. It was the best and quickest way to assess his partner's condition.

"I see you're still a world class jackass." Danny said with a smile. "How ya doin' Super SEAL? Las' time I saw you you weren't looking so hot."

"I'm good. Really. Not even a concussion. What about you? You kind of blacked out on us after you took down Elin. Thanks for that by the way. Kinda thought I was gonna be zombie lunch for a moment there."

"Anytime babe. Besides, you carried my ass through that bunker. And I'm okay. Tired, but a lot better." They made small talk for a while, then they all fell into a contented sleep around the room. Over the next week, Rachel and Grace visited daily while the two men regained their strength. When they were finally released from the hospital, they all went to stay in Steve's spacious house, even Rachel and Grace. Steve liked it better that way. They chased away the ghosts that often were his only company here in this house. He didn't particularly love the place. It was too big and too full of awful memories. But for some reason, it actually felt like home when his Ohana was there. They resumed their normal lives, with the exception of Danny who was starting to rekindle his relationship with Rachel, without the looming fear of death over their heads. Steve smiled to himself as he thought about just how amazing his team was. They had just saved the world. Maybe this would keep the governor from calling them at two in the morning for a while. He laughed. Fat chance.

**The End! Hope ya'll like it! Make you sure leave a review! Oh, and check out my new fic Cat and Mouse. I only have the first chapter up right now, but expect the next one probably tomorrow!**


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